They think it's a massive Tea Party Conspiracy! (It's not...)
Let's make liberal heads explode. Vote for Bristol and Mark!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Awana Grand Prix Results
The little man and I had a great time, and so did a lot of other folks. It's hard to balance my competitiveness with the desire to see my kids involved and enjoying the building and the races. This year I think we did OK in that regard. We also put together a couple very fast cars. The little man's Green Machine averaged 211.3 mph (scaled!) and came in fourth overall after placing 2nd in the first heat and 1st in the 2nd and 3rd heats. 
The cars winning 2nd and 3rd place tied at 211.6 (and had to run the first ever run-off), and the young lady who won 1st place for Sparks ran 211.7 mph. It was very, very competitive. We were only 0.4 "miles per hour" difference between 4th and 1st - 0.19% of the total speed.My Go Fish car ran 213, 214, and 211 in three heats - I saw one time of 2.56- seconds (I'll have to record those next year). The 214.07 was one of the best times ever on the track. I guess we must be doing something right! (See my previous post for links to tips and tricks. Some work, and some aren't worth the effort.)
Until next year, keep it fun, keep the kids involved, and keep your drive to win in balance with the needs of the kids.
Friday, November 5, 2010
AWANA Grand Prix
It's time again for the AWANA Grand Prix at our church. Cars have been built, the track is set up, and tomorrow is the big day. My little man has his Green Machine tuned up and ready, and my Go Fish ICHTHUS Mobile is weighted down and ready to go. I'll post pictures tomorrow!
For now, here are some sites I found with tips and tricks for making fast Grand Prix/Pinewood Derby cars.
So what is my regimen? It's a secret! When you're competing against folks who have tracks set up in their barns, you have to keep some kind of edge!
For now, here are some sites I found with tips and tricks for making fast Grand Prix/Pinewood Derby cars.
- Wayne Schmidt's AWANA Grand Prix Race Car Page (Engineering analysis of what works and what doesn't!)
- Scoutorama's Mixed Bag (Some good, some bad)
- Fast Facts (Generally good, basic tips)
- Pinewood Freak (Lots of articles - READ THE COMMENTS!)
- The Physics Behind the Car! (Very cool for the geekiest of us - explains why things work)
So what is my regimen? It's a secret! When you're competing against folks who have tracks set up in their barns, you have to keep some kind of edge!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Mid Term Elections 2010
Here are my election picks for the Midterm Elections this year. Hunting season is keeping me from posting my reasoning. The only one that really needs explanation is Tancredo. Dan Maes has discredited and disgraced himself on many fronts and needs to drop out of the race to allow Tancredo to beat Hickenlooper. That's the only way we'll have a conservative governor, and the only way to keep the Democrats in the Colorado legislature from ramming their agenda down our throats.
US Senator: Buck
US Rep: Lamborn
Governor: Tancredo
Sec. State: Gessler
Treasurer: Stapleton
Republicans for the rest
Amendment P – Games of Chance - AGAINST
Amendment Q – Temporary Location of State Seat of Government - FOR
Amendment R – Exempt Possessory Interests in Real Property - FOR
Amendment 60 – Property Taxes - AGAINST
Amendment 61 – Limits on State and Local Government - AGAINST
Amendment 62 – Application of the Term Person - FOR
Amendment 63 – Health Care Choice - FOR
Proposition 101 – Income, Vehicle and Telecom Taxes and Fees - AGAINST
Proposition 102 – Criteria for Release to Pretrial Services Programs – AGAINST
County 1A – Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Prohibited in Unincorporated Areas - FOR
County 1B – Term Limits for 4th Judicial District DA - FOR
County 1C – Term Limits for County Commissioners - FOR
County 1D – Term Limits for other County Offices – FOR
Colorado Springs 2B – City Retention of $600,000 of excess revenue for infrastructure – FOR
Colorado Springs 2C – TOPS Limit on Trails and Open Spaces Maintenance – AGAINST
Colorado Springs 300 – Strong Mayor Proposal - FOR
View the El Paso County November 2010 Sample Ballot.
Do your civic duty. Vote!
US Senator: Buck
US Rep: Lamborn
Governor: Tancredo
Sec. State: Gessler
Treasurer: Stapleton
Republicans for the rest
Amendment P – Games of Chance - AGAINST
Amendment Q – Temporary Location of State Seat of Government - FOR
Amendment R – Exempt Possessory Interests in Real Property - FOR
Amendment 60 – Property Taxes - AGAINST
Amendment 61 – Limits on State and Local Government - AGAINST
Amendment 62 – Application of the Term Person - FOR
Amendment 63 – Health Care Choice - FOR
Proposition 101 – Income, Vehicle and Telecom Taxes and Fees - AGAINST
Proposition 102 – Criteria for Release to Pretrial Services Programs – AGAINST
County 1A – Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Prohibited in Unincorporated Areas - FOR
County 1B – Term Limits for 4th Judicial District DA - FOR
County 1C – Term Limits for County Commissioners - FOR
County 1D – Term Limits for other County Offices – FOR
Colorado Springs 2B – City Retention of $600,000 of excess revenue for infrastructure – FOR
Colorado Springs 2C – TOPS Limit on Trails and Open Spaces Maintenance – AGAINST
Colorado Springs 300 – Strong Mayor Proposal - FOR
View the El Paso County November 2010 Sample Ballot.
Do your civic duty. Vote!
Beef / Elk Jerky Recipe
NO SOY SAUCE!!!
Start with very lean meat. I prefer round steak. Trim as much fat as humanly possible. Slice the rest about ¼-3/8” thick and as long as possible. Butterfly any small pieces.
I mix the marinade first to make sure that the salt/sugar gets dissolved in the marinade and gets mixed evenly through the meat. In a gallon ziplock bag mix thoroughly:
Lay out the meat in a single layer on the grates in a smoker. Smoke at about 200-225 degrees for an hour (no more or it gets too smoky). (You could use 2 tsp/lb liquid smoke instead, but it won’t be quite the same.) Transfer to a dehydrator and dry per the instructions (usually at 155 degrees) for 6-8 hours – until dry yet pliable. Turn off the dehydrator and let it cool for an hour, then put in bags. If you don’t freeze it, keep plastic bags open for the first 24 hours as the moisture content evens out through the meat.
You can smoke it on a gas grill. Soak wood chips (hickory or mesquite) for 30 minutes, drain then wrap in foil. Punch a bunch of holes in the top of the foil, then put it on your left or right most grill burner (move the grate, put it right on the drip plate or lava rocks). Light just that burner on high, and heat it up until you start to smell smoke. Lay out the meat over the rest of the grill, away from the direct heat. Smoke for an hour or so.
You can also dehydrate in your oven. Put foil over the bottom rack in case of drippage. Put the meat on the top rack, turn the oven on Warm, then leave the door cracked to let the moisture out and keep the temperature down. If you use an oven thermometer, you can even get the heat adjusted to a perfect 155 degrees.
Unless I hide it, the jerky usually doesn’t last more than 24 hours anyway…
Start with very lean meat. I prefer round steak. Trim as much fat as humanly possible. Slice the rest about ¼-3/8” thick and as long as possible. Butterfly any small pieces.
I mix the marinade first to make sure that the salt/sugar gets dissolved in the marinade and gets mixed evenly through the meat. In a gallon ziplock bag mix thoroughly:
Coarse Kosher Salt – 2 tsp/lb of trimmed meatThe Turkish Seasoning, chipotle/cayenne and paprika can be substituted with your own favorite blend of savory spices – just make sure it’s salt free or you will get too salty.
Brown Sugar – 2 tsp/lb
Penzey’s Turkish Seasoning – 4 tsp/lb
Ground Chipotle (or Cayenne) - 1 tsp/lb for medium heat
Paprika – a couple good dashes for color
Red Table Wine – 1 cup/lb
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysturkish.htmlAdd the meat to the bag, zip it shut and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate 6-24 hours.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschipotle.html
Lay out the meat in a single layer on the grates in a smoker. Smoke at about 200-225 degrees for an hour (no more or it gets too smoky). (You could use 2 tsp/lb liquid smoke instead, but it won’t be quite the same.) Transfer to a dehydrator and dry per the instructions (usually at 155 degrees) for 6-8 hours – until dry yet pliable. Turn off the dehydrator and let it cool for an hour, then put in bags. If you don’t freeze it, keep plastic bags open for the first 24 hours as the moisture content evens out through the meat.
You can smoke it on a gas grill. Soak wood chips (hickory or mesquite) for 30 minutes, drain then wrap in foil. Punch a bunch of holes in the top of the foil, then put it on your left or right most grill burner (move the grate, put it right on the drip plate or lava rocks). Light just that burner on high, and heat it up until you start to smell smoke. Lay out the meat over the rest of the grill, away from the direct heat. Smoke for an hour or so.
You can also dehydrate in your oven. Put foil over the bottom rack in case of drippage. Put the meat on the top rack, turn the oven on Warm, then leave the door cracked to let the moisture out and keep the temperature down. If you use an oven thermometer, you can even get the heat adjusted to a perfect 155 degrees.
Unless I hide it, the jerky usually doesn’t last more than 24 hours anyway…
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Colorado Governor and US Senator
OK, so life got away from me. It's election eve, and most of the people following this have already voted by mail, so here is the short and sweet version.
Colorado Governor:
In the words of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (who I like), I "cannot in good conscience give members and gun owners a strong recommendation for this race." McInnis has handled the whole plagiarism issue very poorly, and has a weak record on gun rights. Maes really came across as a nutjob with his comments on the UN International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) program in Denver which is providing bikes to reduce pollution. After a little digging, I found little on the ICLEI program, but it does look like your typical UN socialist program, so maybe he's on to something. They did, after all, put Iran on the Commission on Women's Rights. So, if Dan Maes doesn't like the UN, all the better.
I don't like any of the candidates all that much, but I'm voting for Dan Maes. I just hope he can prove to the rest of Colorado that he's not a conspiracy theorist wacko nutjob.
US Senator from Colorado:
Ken Buck keeps "stepping in it" with his high heels and cowboy boots comments, and he's had some ethical questions, but if you dig a little deeper, at least his heart was in the right place. (That's cynicism, for those of you who don't get it.) Jane Norton, however, sealed the deal for me by getting support from John McCain. I can't stand big government McCain. Plus, when your website for your governor's race leads with "Ken Buck said what?" and a video of your opponent's (albeit very bad) attempt at humor, you must not have any serious issues to run on.
Like the Governor's race, I can't really endorse any of the candidates, but I'm going to vote for Ken Buck, just to tick off the big-government RINOs who support Norton.
By the way, on the Democrat side, I'm cheering for "I'm not taking PAC money(anymore)" Andrew Romanoff. Bennett doesn't care what the voters think and I want him out. With Romanoff's past habits of taking PAC money, it should provide good fodder for whoever wins the Republican nomination.
Colorado Governor:
In the words of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (who I like), I "cannot in good conscience give members and gun owners a strong recommendation for this race." McInnis has handled the whole plagiarism issue very poorly, and has a weak record on gun rights. Maes really came across as a nutjob with his comments on the UN International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) program in Denver which is providing bikes to reduce pollution. After a little digging, I found little on the ICLEI program, but it does look like your typical UN socialist program, so maybe he's on to something. They did, after all, put Iran on the Commission on Women's Rights. So, if Dan Maes doesn't like the UN, all the better.
I don't like any of the candidates all that much, but I'm voting for Dan Maes. I just hope he can prove to the rest of Colorado that he's not a conspiracy theorist wacko nutjob.
US Senator from Colorado:
Ken Buck keeps "stepping in it" with his high heels and cowboy boots comments, and he's had some ethical questions, but if you dig a little deeper, at least his heart was in the right place. (That's cynicism, for those of you who don't get it.) Jane Norton, however, sealed the deal for me by getting support from John McCain. I can't stand big government McCain. Plus, when your website for your governor's race leads with "Ken Buck said what?" and a video of your opponent's (albeit very bad) attempt at humor, you must not have any serious issues to run on.
Like the Governor's race, I can't really endorse any of the candidates, but I'm going to vote for Ken Buck, just to tick off the big-government RINOs who support Norton.
By the way, on the Democrat side, I'm cheering for "I'm not taking PAC money(anymore)" Andrew Romanoff. Bennett doesn't care what the voters think and I want him out. With Romanoff's past habits of taking PAC money, it should provide good fodder for whoever wins the Republican nomination.
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